Home Theater Config

[Juice Box]

Current components:

Modded Xbox (Component output for video, optical/AV for Audio)
Divx DVD Player (Either Component/Composite for Audio, AV for Audio)

It will be displayed on my Optoma projector which has VGA/Component/Composite inputs (no HDMI ;( )

So, I was trying to figure out the best way to arrange everything so I don't have to keep switching inputs on the projector. (The projector also has some built in speakers, but are pretty crappy, so I'm thinking I will buy a nice 5.1 system w/ optical in)

Am I looking to buy a reciever? I'm not exactly sure what I am looking for....mainly something with a bunch of Audio/Video inputs with either component or VGA out (My guess is that component out is best) And maybe even a built-in TV tuner?

Any help would be apprieiated!! Thanks!

 

[Tiamat]

A receiver, at least in the <1000$ budget, would be the simpliest way to "join" all of your components together so that you can select them at the press of a button on the remote controller.

Id do something like:
Input 1: Xbox component + Optical
Input 2: DVD player component + Optical or RCA

Output: Component to projector
Output: Speaker cables to Speakers, sub out to subwoofer etc.

Is this what you are trying to achieve?

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: Tiamat
A receiver, at least in the <1000$ budget, would be the simpliest way to "join" all of your components together so that you can select them at the press of a button on the remote controller.

Right, I assumed a receiver was what I was looking for. I'm not too sure about how surround sound would work however, seeing as both the xbox, as well as the DVD player I have, only output via Red/White RCA Cables. Would I need to buy a surround DVD player in order to get the full experience from my DVDs?

 

[loup garou]

Text

EDIT: oops, the 590 doesn't do component switching, I don't think. Lemme see which models do. Damn their site is slow as hell. Crap, now shoponkyo doesn't work at all.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Juice Box

Originally posted by: Tiamat
A receiver, at least in the <1000$ budget, would be the simpliest way to "join" all of your components together so that you can select them at the press of a button on the remote controller.

Right, I assumed a receiver was what I was looking for. I'm not too sure about how surround sound would work however, seeing as both the xbox, as well as the DVD player I have, only output via Red/White RCA Cables. Would I need to buy a surround DVD player in order to get the full experience from my DVDs?

In short, yes. The optical out from the XBOX should give 5.1 if the game supports it.

The DVD player would be in Stereo. It could be "upsampled" by the receiver using Dolby Prologic blah blah, but it wouldnt be "true" 5.1 unless the DVD player output in 5.1 via digital or analog 5.1


Onkyo, HK, Panasonic has some pretty decent receivers in the <300$ range. Do you have surround sound setup in mind? (Home theater in box, or dedicated speakers?)

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: Juice Box
Right, I assumed a receiver was what I was looking for. I'm not too sure about how surround sound would work however, seeing as both the xbox, as well as the DVD player I have, only output via Red/White RCA Cables. Would I need to buy a surround DVD player in order to get the full experience from my DVDs?

The Xbox supports optical audio output, you even stated that in the OP. I've never seen a DVD player that didn't have digital audio output of some sort unless it was a portable player. Are you sure there isn't a digital coaxoutput on your player (will likely be an orange colored RCA plug).

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Juice Box
Right, I assumed a receiver was what I was looking for. I'm not too sure about how surround sound would work however, seeing as both the xbox, as well as the DVD player I have, only output via Red/White RCA Cables. Would I need to buy a surround DVD player in order to get the full experience from my DVDs?

The Xbox supports optical audio output, you even stated that in the OP. I've never seen a DVD player that didn't have digital audio output of some sort unless it was a portable player. Are you sure there isn't a digital coaxoutput on your player (will likely be an orange colored RCA plug).

Actually, now that I look at it...it does have a Digital audio out, which I assume would support 5.1. 😛

However, in the specs found here, it says that it is not THX-Certified (whether or not this is a big deal....I have no idea)

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: Juice Box
Actually, now that I look at it...it does have a Digital audio out, which I assume would support 5.1. 😛

However, in the specs found here, it says that it is not THX-Certified (whether or not this is a big deal....I have no idea)

Yup. You can do 5.1 via the digital audio out, but not with the red/white stereo RCA cables. So just use the optical audio on the XBox and the digital coax on the DVD player and you will have 5.1 for both. Most decent receivers with have both. And don't worry about the THX certification, that's mostly just marketing hype that just makes electronics more expensive.

 

[Juice Box]

As far as the speakers go....I have the klipsch 5.1 ultras in my bedroom currently, and have learned that having surround sound in your bedroom is....how shall I say it? Overkill 😛

Might decide to pickup a set of nice 2.1s for my room, and move the beastly 5.1 system into the living room w/ the projector.....would make movies/games a lot better. =)

Also, are there recievers with built in TV Tuners? I'd much rather not have to keep my "All in One" to VGA box in my HT setup 😛

 

[Kaido]

Just curious, why do you have a DivX DVD player? A modded Xbox can easily assume that function...😉

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: Kaido
Just curious, why do you have a DivX DVD player? A modded Xbox can easily assume that function...😉

two reasons

1) It was $15...marked down from $40 something
2) Bought it MONTHS before I even though I'd have a modded Xbox

I'd just like to have a real DVD playing in my system...don't as why, I just prefer it that way 😛

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Juice Box
As far as the speakers go....I have the klipsch 5.1 ultras in my bedroom currently, and have learned that having surround sound in your bedroom is....how shall I say it? Overkill 😛

Might decide to pickup a set of nice 2.1s for my room, and move the beastly 5.1 system into the living room w/ the projector.....would make movies/games a lot better. =)

Also, are there recievers with built in TV Tuners? I'd much rather not have to keep my "All in One" to VGA box in my HT setup 😛

It's going to be rather difficult to integrate Promedia Ultras into your system with a receiver.

There are products like the Creative DDTS-100 that would allow you to use the Promedias as speakers, but you wouldn't get the video connection options that a receiver would give you.

Generally a receiver is not going to give you TV Tuning capabilities. I use a VCR to do that in my system.

How much are you looking to spend total?